The Right Way to Set and Achieve Your Goals – Be S.M.A.R.T

28/11/2016 9:04:20 PM · 572 words · about 3 minutes

People set their goals differently, depending on their current situation, resources, physical capacity and other factors. You can, however, follow some guidelines to make sure that your goals are credible and achievable. Too many people seem to set their goals without having a realistic game plan, only to become disappointed. Here are some S.M.A.R.T tips for you.

Being Specific

Goals need to be specific, so that you know which part of the process you are currently working on and the particular ways you will achieve it. Most people have goals to get promoted, get rich, improve relationships and the like, but these are very vague and your mind can become confused about what you truly mean. General descriptions usually do not have boundaries, so you always leave room for mistakes and compromise. If you want results that you can be proud of, be specific.

To be specific, you need to include the full details. Write down something like, “I will earn three hundred and fifty thousand dollars in my business by September of this year.” or “I will be the top leader of the sales division by next week.” or “I want my relationship with my spouse to grow, we will go on weekly dates.” Include the names, the position, the amount, the date and everything else needed to train your mind to start working toward that goal.

Being Measurable

Goals need to be measurable so that you can keep track of how well you are doing. To help measure your path and goal, you should include quantifiable details. For your job, you can include specifics such as the number of hours you are working, the amount you are earning, the staff you are managing, etc. For the goal of money, you can include details such as the amount you want to have as a whole or the number of companies or businesses you own. Always have important points and items to be measured so you can understand how close you are to achieving your goals. If your goal is to earn $30,000 a month, then you know you are halfway there if you’re already earning $15,000 a month.

Attainable vs Realistic

Only set goals that can possibly be accomplished. Some people set goals that are too high to reach, that they are almost setting up situations that are impossible. Make sure you only set objectives that you can reach within a given amount of time, provided the current resources and capabilities you have. Some examples of impossible goals are doubling your salary overnight, getting a promotion higher than your boss’s position, etc. Some goals can be achieved faster compared to others if you have the right tools and strategies already in place. Always include a strategic plan for big objectives.

Time-Bound

Set “lifelines” to achieve your goals. I don’t like the word deadline, I prefer lifeline. Stay specific when setting timelines and schedules. For example, indicate things like “To spend at least 1 uninterrupted hour talking with my spouse everyday starting tomorrow (indicate exact date and year)”. Setting the exact time and date will spur you to start working on your goals, instead of putting it off for another day and procrastinating. Some goals can take years to accomplish so it is wiser to break these down into smaller objectives, still complete with lifelines.

You are worthy of achieving your goals so always remember to be S.M.A.R.T while getting them done.